Multimedia communications systems typically use a personal computer (PC)-based desktop video conferencing system as the end-user's multimedia communications terminal. In the desktop video conferencing system, the audio component of a multimedia call is delivered to and received from the end-user through the audio subsystem of the terminal, which usually comprises a sound card mounted in the PC and speakers and a microphone connected to the sound card.
In an integrated multimedia and voice calling environment, an end-user is typically equipped with both the multimedia terminal and a conventional voice telephone, the former for receipt and/or generation (access) of multimedia calls including the audio component, and the latter for the access of conventional voice-only calls. Having a different audio-delivery and generation mechanism for voice and multimedia calls is confusing, annoying, and inconvenient to end-users.
Some multimedia endpoint vendors, e.g., Picture Tel, have addressed this problem by including a telephone-like PC adjunct in their desktop video conferencing system for delivery of the audio component of a multimedia call. This approach potentially gives the end-user a more familiar device for the receipt of the audio medium. However, the telephone-like adjunct may not actually replace the conventional telephone on the end-user's desktop, in which case the end-user is again left with separate audio delivery mechanisms for voice and multimedia calls.
Lucent Technologies Inc. has addressed this problem in their Video Multimedia Call Center by providing a hardware "y" connection that connects the audio circuitry of both the desktop video conferencing system and the telephone to a single headset. This allows the end-user to access the audio medium of both voice and multimedia calls through the same headset. A headset is the audio instrument of choice in call centers, but not in other environments, e.g., general office environments. Hence, to a large extent, the problem remains unsolved.